Production process of movable type printing

Movable type printing is a traditional printing method. Its production process is mainly divided into three stages: casting movable type, typesetting and printing.

First, casting movable type should be made. Casting movable type is to melt lead alloy and cast the molten lead alloy into a glyph with the help of a mold. The method of making the mold is to carve the words on the board with a knife, then coat the board with wax, and then immerse the mold in the wax accurately. Next, the mold is washed in lead alloy to fill the gap, and the font is obtained after solidification.

Next, typesetting. Typesetting is the process of putting cast movable type into the manuscript in a certain order and format. Typesetting requires special tools and machines to arrange movable types one by one to form lines of words. After typesetting is completed, trapping and proofreading are needed to ensure the correctness and integrity of the printed manuscript.

Finally, printing. Printing is to put the typesetting manuscript on the printing machine, put the paper on it, and then print the typesetting text on the paper through the pressure of the machine and the application of ink. This process requires great patience and skill, because different papers and inks need different adjustments to achieve the desired results.

In short, the production process of movable type printing needs to be completed through multiple processes, including casting movable type, typesetting and printing. This is a traditional printing method. Although it has been replaced by computer typesetting and digital printing, it still retains respect and memory for traditional handicrafts.